Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving to all of my loyal readers! With it being the BIGGEST food holiday and all, I decided to give you an overview of what I will be prepping and serving tomorrow. It will be my second year preparing it solo since I used to cook with my grandma. She is now my personal culinary guardian angel (amongst other guardian angels too).

Roast Turkey (of course). I don't brine. I stuff it with citrus, herbs, and butter and cover it with butter soaked cheesecloth. Now, the most important part to ensure your bird is not dry would be basting. I may have mentioned in an earlier cooking blog I am not one for timers. Roasting turkey would be my exception. I religiously baste every 15 minutes and with everything else going on, I have to set the timer. I remove the cheesecloth about a half hour prior to dinner to give the bird a nice golden glow.

Candied yams, complete with brown sugar reduction and marshmallows: Make sure to remember the marshmallows will plump upon roasting. If you squeeze too many on, you will have one sticky mess to clean up

Sweet potato boats: This is a family recipe not too many people have heard of. Cook the potatoes then cut in half. Hollow out and mix the potato with cranberry relish. Top with walnuts and a brown sugar cinnamon blend.

Homemade cranberry relish grinded with a 100+ year old grinder (one of my favorite kitchen tools for sentimental reasons)